Shakespeare said, “What’s in a name?” At 5:00 in the morning I’m wondering about it too. Do you know what your name means? Mine, I’ve been told, means “noble woman.” I’ve often wondered if my parents really knew what they were doing when they stuck that handle on me… it is a lot to live up to! So in naming my children, plenty of thought went into the process.
Torrence: This is my husband’s mother’s maiden name. It is also a Teutonic name and it means “tender heart.” I believe that Tory thinks he’s been stuck with everyone else’s name instead of his own (his middle name is my grandmother’s maiden name). But the “tender heart” part has rung true with him. Example: He and number two bro were very small and I had decided to take them to see a children’s cartoon movie. It was near the end of the flick and one of the beloved dogs in the film had been injured and was dying… Number two bro was chomping on popcorn just watching to see what would happen next; and Tory looked in my face and said, “Geeze Mom, why’d you bring me to this thing!” “Tender heart,” yes.
Travis: I just liked the name and while the meaning was a little beyond me at the time, it rings true now. It means “two paths.” As an adult, Travis lives all over the world. He really does seem to be finding not only two paths, but ALL paths! Good for him.
Nathan: It means “gift from God.” He is, to just about everyone who knows him. Not too many years ago a friend of his was very sick and unable to work much less take of self. Nate took this friend to the emergency room, paid the bill, bought the medicine that was needed, took the friend home to bed, stocked the kitchen cupboards with a bland diet and then checked in on that friend until the friend was well. “Gift from God.” What do you think?
Nicholas: And, I have to say that I did not pick this name. But when one has a baby in December, everyone wants to name him Nicholas. Anyway, my dad did and so did Hubby. I was told that I was going to (at last) have a girl. Of course that didn’t happen did it. So when he was born, I had no name for a boy. In a moment of fatigue and weakness I agreed to the name Nicholas but I stuck him with two middle names. (Sue me!) Nick has surely lived up to his first name. It means “protector of the children.” He is protective of everyone, including his mother.
Example: It was a time in my life when I couldn’t walk. I’d had surgery and was out of the wheel chair… It was at the stage when falling is common. Well, short story is I fell and Nick say me go down. He was horrified.
“Dad! Mom fell!”
Hubby from the laundry porch where he is busy fixing the washer, “Is she crying?”
“No, but Dad she’s on the floor!”
“Is she moving?”
“Yes, but dad she fell down!”
“She doesn’t want help, Nick. Leave her alone.” (And Hubby was right. I never wanted help getting up. To take help was a sign of weakness to me. I wanted to get up on my own so that I would remember the pain of falling, and work harder to stay on my feet.)
Nick was very over-whelmed with watching me try to get up on my own. He came over to me and got down on hands and knees. “I’m going to pray for you, Mom, because I have to do something and I don’t know what else to do!” (Nicho, it was a good thing to do! Prayer is always the right thing.)
So they all are living up to their names. I think it is good to be able to fulfill one’s title. I think it’s good to have family names… to be named after other people whose lives matter(ed) and who can be remembered through others as they carve out their own destiny with that name.
Yes, I do think in some way we all must become our names. Even the family names. I am named for both my father and my mother. I am a pretty strong mix of the two of them, and hopefully their better qualities are passing through me in my lifetime but with my style.
The Bible tells us that when we go to heaven we will have new names. God will give us a name. That is the name that matters most to me. It will define who I have been in my life here on earth; and it will say, when God was looking down on me, what He saw. I want this name to be something I can live with… Eternity is a long time! Until then, I just do the best that I can, like you.
May your name be a blessing to everyone, including yourself.
Best… Carolyn Thomas Temple